


On  Top of the Mountain

by BettyHT



Series: On [4]
Category: Bonanza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-29
Updated: 2018-09-29
Packaged: 2019-07-19 00:20:07
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 23,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16129679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BettyHT/pseuds/BettyHT
Summary: Follows the On Edge story:  There are ups and downs in any family, and Adam and Elaine experience a number of those. Hoss gets to be romantic too as the story develops.





	On  Top of the Mountain

On Top of the Mountain

Chapter 1

"Hoss, did Adam kill my father?"

"Have you asked Adam?"

"Yes, but he evades better than you do."

"Little Sis, why are you asking that question?"

"My father would never kill himself. He was so sure he was one of the chosen who would go to Heaven, and he knew that suicide would knock him out of that group. Someone killed him, and I want to know if it was Adam."

Walking up behind Hoss and Elaine, Adam surprised both of them. "Elaine, we should talk, but not here. Let's go for a walk."

As they walked away from the house, Hoss could be heard muttering. Adam smiled.

"What is he saying?"

"Dadburnit, he's gotta be part Paiute sneaking up on a man like that all the time."

"You enjoy that, don't you? Being able to sneak up on him like that?"

"We've played that game for a lot of years. It's comforting to have some things that never change. Now, why are you badgering Hoss with a question that you know I don't want to answer?"

"Don't you think I have a right to know? He was my father, even if he was a terrible person. I asked him to rescue me from that mining camp and he wouldn't. He only wanted me whipped. When I begged him to save me, he said I couldn't be saved, only punished. Then he came here to try to ruin our family. He kidnapped Jon. He killed Julia. I'm sure there are many more sins that could be pinned on him, but he was still my father, and I think I have a right to know what happened to him."

"I don't want this to come between us."

"Adam, I know you didn't, but you could have shot him down in cold blood, and I wouldn't blame you. I just need a conclusion on that part of my family history. I need to know the ending."

Pausing, Adam weighed his options and then spoke. "I shot him. I didn't murder him. Hoss was there to make sure I didn't. He knew how much I wanted to do just that. Hoss wanted justice, and he made sure I remembered that was what I should want too. I goaded your father, and I pushed him until he couldn't back down. I threw those wanted posters at his feet, and I told him I would post them all over town and all over the west. I said I would hound him until he was arrested, tried, and hanged. I don't think he could take that, and he drew. I was ready and I shot him. He fired a shot in the air as he fell."

"Why didn't you tell me that right away?"

"I thought I did. I told you that your father would never hurt any of us again. There's only one thing that could have let me say something so absolute."

"If it was self-defense, why didn't you stay and tell them what happened? Why did you leave his body there to be found and let people think he killed himself?"

"He never had a chance, and I've had problems with the system of justice before. People could see it any way they want. Think about it. He had mistreated my wife, made some men hurt my friend, and he kidnapped my son. Don't you see how the authorities might not trust my account especially in Bend where no one knows me? I didn't break any laws, of men or of God. I followed the letter of the law. Hoss saw to that. Justice was done even if not by the proper authorities. Now you know."

"I suppose letting his death be seen as a suicide might help some people who thought he had brought the truth to them. If they question him, then perhaps they will question his hateful beliefs. Maybe some good can come from it."

"Why do you need to know now? You didn't question me so thoroughly when we got back."

"I'd like to go to the dance in town. Then two weeks after that, there's that big party out here. I didn't want to find out anything at those events. People sometimes say things. I wanted to be ready."

"Are you still having problems with some of those women in town?"

"It's not so much problems as they way they act when I'm around. If they could get rid of me somehow, I think they would. It seems that there may be some resentment that you married me instead of one of them especially with my background, and I'm so much younger than you too."

"Well, at the dance and at the party, I'll make sure they know that you are the love of my life and that no one better ever make you feel badly."

"Or you'll shoot them?" The twinkle in her eye belied the words of her question. Adam laughed and nodded before he picked her up in his arms. "Where are we going?"

"It's a very warm fall day. I thought perhaps I would take you to the riverbank and have my way with you."

"Well, it better just be kisses and hugs. Hop Sing said that lunch is almost ready, and I do not want to upset him."

"You are the only one he doesn't get upset at no matter how late you are. I guess chivalry is important in China too."

"I know he is so extra nice to me. I don't want to take advantage of it."

Setting Elaine down then next to a tree, Adam pulled her close to him and kissed her passionately. "That's just a promise of what's to come later." Then he kissed her again and longer.

Hoss walked around the corner of the house wondering what he would find because he was worried that his brother might be upset with his wife. What he saw made him smile. He enjoyed that the two of them got along so well. He yelled that lunch was ready, and he smiled again as Adam raised his hand in acknowledgement but never broke the kiss. A short time later, Adam and Elaine entered the house and were the last to arrive at the table. Elaine would have blushed a little assuming that the others knew she had been kissing except she felt the warmth of her cheeks knowing she already was as pink as a blush would have made her. Her lips tended to be fuller after kissing, but it was the rosy cheeks that gave her away more than anything. Adam always seemed to be able to make her feel a lot warmer. Joe wasn't going to let it pass.

"Unseasonably hot, don't you think, Hoss. Elaine ought to take it easy out there. Sis, you look like you got too much sun."

Adam rolled his eyes, and Elaine blushed more if that was possible.

"I don't know, Joe. I think she thinks she got just the right amount of son. Heck she coulda had Pa's youngest son, but she picked our older brother instead."

Almost spitting out his coffee, Joe was quick to respond. "Hoss, I didn't mean that kind of son. I meant the sun, you know, the one in the sky."

"Well ifn you woulda talked more clear I woulda understood ya."

"I was clear. Wasn't I clear, Elaine? I mean, you knew what I meant, didn't you?"

"No, Joe. I was thinking just like Hoss. I got just the right son for me."

Jon was sitting by his father and getting more and more confused. "Papa, what are they talking about?"

"They both think it's funny that I was kissing your Mama."

"Why do you kiss her so much?"

That question by Jon had Ben almost spitting out his coffee too. With wide grins, Hoss and Joe waited for Adam's answer.

"We kiss because we love each other."

"Oh, I thought you were kissing so you could get me a brother. In school, Jamie said that his ma and pa are always kissing, and he's got a whole bunch of brothers. He's got some sisters too. You don't need to give me any of those, but I'd like some brothers. How do you get them?"

"Jon, we've talked before about how this should be a private conversation."

"Yes, but you never answer my questions."

"That's enough. You will be respectful at all times, and that was not respectful."

"I'm sorry, Papa."

Bringing in lunch then, Hop Sing set a glass of milk by Jon and another by Elaine. She looked at Adam wondering if he knew why Hop Sing had been serving her milk lately. He shrugged as he did the other times. He thought that for some reason, Hop Sing must have decided she needed more milk. Ben noticed too and wondered, but because Adam and Elaine looked as mystified as he was, he decided he must be wrong in his assumption. Lunch proceeded smoothly then as Hoss and Joe discussed the upcoming dance and were both very pleased to find that Adam and Elaine would be going to the dance as well. Adam said he would arrange for a sitter and everyone knew what that meant. Once or twice a month, Adam and Elaine spent a Saturday night in town and met the family at the church the next day. No matter how much Adam coveted his privacy and longed to have time with his wife without everyone in the family knowing it, he wouldn't build a house away from the rest of the family. What had happened to Barbara made him even more protective of his family. Because Elaine was so much younger, Adam's protective instincts had been great with her from the beginning of their relationship.

"Jon, would you like to ride with me to the lower meadow? I have to do a herd count."

"Can I ride my own pony?"

"May I?"

"Of course, Papa, you don't have to ask, but what about me?"

Rolling his eyes and remembering so many similar conversations with Little Joe when he was that age and older, Adam nodded. He took a lead rope along because Jon might get too tired. If he rode on Sport with Adam, then his pony would have to be led home. As the two left, Elaine kissed Adam goodbye and whispered in his ear.

"Now might be a good time to answer some of those questions."

That got Adam rolling his eyes again, but he knew she was correct. It was time for him to talk to Jon about the birds and the bees, so he nodded and then smiled to reassure her. Ever since Jon had been kidnapped, she worried a lot when either of them left the house. She was especially worried because both were going. Ben knew that and walked out to be with her as she watched her guys head out.

"They'll be fine. They aren't leaving the ranch, and there are already some men working down there."

Down in the meadow later, Adam and Jon were safe but far from fine. Adam had told Jon the basics about the birds and the bees using his experiences on the ranch to illustrate the concepts. He thought it was going well until Jon began asking questions. Each one seemed more and more difficult to answer.

"But how can you use that? That's what I use to pee. Do you do that with Mama? Did you do that with my first Mama?"

"Yes, Jon to all of that, but usually people don't ask people if they do that with each other. It is a very private thing between a man and a woman when they get married."

"So, only married people do that?"

"Well, that's how it's supposed to be." Jon was so engrossed in his own thoughts and concerns that he didn't notice the evasion. Adam was grateful. He wasn't sure how he would explain things any further than he had, and wished that somehow he could have avoided this conversation. He supposed his father had had this conversation with him but couldn't remember the specifics. He knew it was after Inger birthed Hoss leaving him with all sorts of questions as to where Inger had gotten that baby. He took a little perverse pleasure assuming he had asked questions like Jon had done and tormented his father as he was being tormented. He could already see the grin his father would likely have when he told him about this day. Finally Jon seemed to be done with his questions. He had a parting statement though as Adam checked the cinches on their horses before they mounted up to head back home.

"Papa, I'm never going to do that. Never!"

"Well, hold that thought until you get married."

"Papa, I'm never getting married. If you get married, you have to do that, so I'm not getting married either."

As they rode toward home, Adam smiled. The thought that his son would never marry made him empathize a bit with his father who must have wondered if Adam would ever marry, and now worried about his two younger sons who seemed to have no desire to marry either or the ladies they picked left one way or another. Hoss was in the stable when they returned, and when Adam finished with Sport, Jon said he wanted to stay in the stable with Hoss who had promised to show him the kittens up in the loft. With a warning to be careful, Adam headed to the house to let Elaine know he had had the birds and the bees talk with Jon. He could anticipate the smiles that would greet his story. Meanwhile, Hoss was getting a dose of Jon's questions.

"Did anyone ever tell you where mamas get babies?"

"Ah, yes, years ago."

"Is that why you never got married?"

"Huh?"

"Well, if you get married, you have to do that, so if you don't get married, you don't have to do that. I'm never getting married, Uncle Hoss, because I never want to have to do that."

"Oh, I don't think doing that is such a problem. Your Mama and Papa seem real happy together. Lots of folks get married and are real happy together, and I have to tell you that they never feel they have to do that. They want to."

Jon thought about that for a time. His parents did seem very happy together. "Hoss, why don't you get married then?"

"Ain't found the gal willing to marry up with me is all. I'm hoping to find that gal any day now."

"If you marry her, are you gonna do that so you have babies?"

"That would be what I would hope. I really like younguns. I wouldn't mind a whole lot of em running around the place."

"Would you live here too even after you got married?"

Hoss had to think about that for a time. The house really wasn't big enough for three families especially if he wanted a bunch of children. "Well, I guess I might have to build myself a house ifn that happened."

"My Papa is good at building things. I bet he would help you."

"Well, now, Jon, I'd be counting on that. You'd be helping too, wouldn't ya? Always good to have another man to help out."

And Jon was reminded once again why he loved his Uncle Hoss so much. He smiled and asked if there was anything he could do. The two spent some time straightening up the stable after taking a peek at the sleeping kittens and before going to the house. Jon was reassured about the birds and the bees by Hoss' matter-of-fact responses. His father had been so nervous talking about it that Jon had thought perhaps there was more to worry about than the strange behavior of a man and a woman in love. He was relaxed by the time he got into the house relieving Adam's anxiety that he had not done a good job of explaining to his son. Jon was done asking questions on that topic for quite a while. He needed some time to assimilate the information he had received. He couldn't wait to tell the boys at school who had been as curious as he was as to how babies were made. He began to plan how he was going to tell them.

Chapter 2

By Saturday, Elaine had a new dress all ready for the dance. She packed that and other clothing in a valise with clothing for Adam. She remembered his shaving kit because she had forgotten once, and that had meant some whisker burns. She didn't want to repeat that experience especially as everyone in the restaurant the next morning probably had a very good idea of what she and Adam had been doing before getting to the restaurant for breakfast. Then in church, she had received more looks and knew that the powder wasn't doing a very good job of camouflaging her red face. By afternoon, she and Adam would drop Jon off at Mrs. Shaughnessy. The usual routine was that they would pick him up the next morning before going to church. Then they headed for some shopping as Adam said he had a few things to pick up. At the jewelry shop, he was handed a small package and smiled at the proprietor before offering Elaine his arm. They stopped and got some fabric at the dress shop, and then other essentials at the general store. Elaine wanted to make new curtains for their room and for Jon's as well as sew up some chair pads for the chairs in their bedrooms so that the rooms would seem more like theirs. Then after depositing the purchases in their room at the hotel and dressing in their finest, they headed to their dinner. Elaine couldn't hold back her curiosity any longer.

"What did you get at the jewelers?"

"Now wouldn't that spoil the surprise?"

"Is it for me then?"

"Sweetheart, by now you should know I never buy jewelry for anyone else. But, you'll have to wait until we're dressing for the dance."

"I thought we were dressed for the dance."

"No, I mean afterwards, when we have to dress for the dance again."

Elaine blushed and hoped that no one near them had heard what he said. "You're terrible sometimes."

"I do my best." With a cheeky grin, Adam raised his wine glass in a toast to his wife. "Now, dig in. You're going to need some energy for the rest of tonight."

Elaine shook her head and smiled. She loved this man so much, and now her thoughts were entirely focused on what they would do after dinner. She declined dessert and told Adam it was time to go get ready for the dance. He grinned and offered her his arm escorting her back to their room. Four men saw them walk up the stairs arm-in-arm and began to talk quietly among themselves.

"He sure seems taken with her. Do you think he knows?"

"Course he knows. He's the one took her away. But it seems a lot of people here don't know, and I'm wondering how much he'd be willing to pay to keep it that way."

"There's sposed to be a big dance in town tonight. That must be why they're all gussied up. Mebbe we can talk to im there. Ifn he don't pay us, we could tell everyone there how she made her living afore she come here to married up with a Cartwright."

"Caleb, course that's what we're gonna do. We been talking about it for a half hour. Where's your mind been anyhow?"

"I was jest remembering being with her. I'd like to try that agin sometime. You two ever with her?"

"Nah, she was too cold for me. I wanted one who was warm and agreeable. She always looked like it was the last place she wanted to be and we were the last people she ever wanted to be with. She had that look about her that said it weren't gonna be no fun to take her."

"Let's head over to the saloon and have a few afore that dance starts up."

As four men plotted, Adam was in the room with his love and handed her the package he had gotten from the jeweler. She opened it, and her mouth formed a perfect O even if no sound emerged as she stared at the necklace in her hands. She looked up at Adam who was quite bemused at making her speechless. He stepped behind her taking the necklace from her and placing it around her neck and closing the clasp. The metal and the stone were cool against her skin. Adam placed a hand on her shoulder as he nuzzled her neck.

"So you like that?"

"Adam, I always like that."

"The necklace, sweetheart. Do you like it?"

"Adam, I love it." Looking in the mirror, Elaine could see Adam kissing her neck and the part of her shoulder that was bare. The necklace hung elegantly around her neck and Adam's hand moved from her shoulder to hold it to her flesh warming the cool stone as well as the metal. She lifted his hand to admire the emerald pendant at the end of the golden strands. "It's so beautiful, I hate to take it off."

"You don't have to take it off. It's not in the way. Not like this dress." Adam began unbuttoning her dress that he had helped her button about an hour earlier. He slid his hands down her arms helping the dress slide to the floor. Soon the rest of their garments joined the dress as they retired to the bed for lovemaking. There was no languorous lounging afterwards though because they didn't want to be too late to the dance and endure endless teasing by Hoss and Joe.

As they left the lobby of the hotel, the desk clerk called Adam back. "Adam, there were four men here earlier watching you and your wife. I heard them mention your name and hers. I couldn't understand what they were saying, but you need to keep your eyes wide open out there."

"Thanks, Dave. I'll be careful. My brothers are going to be at the dance too, so I'll alert them."

Later as Roy Coffee made his rounds, the desk clerk told him what he had told Adam. Roy was worried. He thought Elaine was a good match for Adam, and he had never seen the man so happy other than those four years he was married to Barbara, but Roy had thought that her past would intrude on their happiness at some point, and he had a niggling fear that this was that moment. He went looking for Clem so the two of them could head to the dance hopefully to ward off any trouble there.

At the dance, Adam was having a great time. With the first slow dance after they arrived, he bowed to Elaine and proffered his hand as if asking her to indulge him in a dance. She took his hand and he led her onto the dance floor. Never taking his eyes from her, he gracefully guided her as they glided around the room almost as if no one else was there. From the side, Hoss and Joe watched.

"I heard some talk earlier. Seems some of the women here don't think that Adam married the right woman. One look at em dancing like that oughta shut them old biddies up."

"Hoss, let's go find a gal we can look at like that while we're dancing. I swear our older brother looks like he's at the top of the mountain with the whole world at his feet when he's dancing with her."

Soon both brothers had found willing dance partners and were twirling them about the dance floor. Joe was enthusiastic and Hoss was very considerate. Their partners were very happy with the dance, and consented to dance more with them. Soon the night seemed a lot brighter to all three brothers as they saw each other dancing and smiling. After an hour of dancing, Adam asked Elaine to walk outside with him. He offered her his arm and beamed at her. She smiled back and the two exited the hall without being aware of being followed. With most eyes focused on the couple, no one saw the four men saunter outside except Roy and Clem were watching. Assuming these were the four at the hotel that Dave had said were talking about Adam and Elaine, Roy caught Clem's attention and tipped his head toward the door. Clem walked out that way as Roy made his way to the back of the dance hall to exit behind the building where most couples walked for fresh air and a little smooching.

Unknown to Roy and Clem, Adam had gone in the opposite direction. He knew there were benches out front and wanted to quietly sit with Elaine for a time. She had said her feet were a bit sore in her new shoes so he was being considerate. He guided her to a bench and sat beside her.

"Now that wasn't so difficult, was it?"

"Adam, I must say, with you by my side, they seemed almost tolerant of me. I didn't hear any of those whispers I hear when I go into stores. Maybe those stories my father was telling are finally behind us."

"They wouldn't dare bring that up. I would have to have a talk with them."

"I know. You could give them that look that kills, and they might lose their voice for a week."

Secretly a little pleased that Elaine thought he could be so intimidating to others, he leaned toward her for a kiss only to be rudely interrupted.

"Ah, lookee here what we got: the little lady we knew so well and her favorite customer. Tell, does she still charge you for climbing in her bed?"

Adam stood to face the four men despite Elaine's best efforts to keep him seated. He had that look that could kill and she was worried he might do a lot more than that. He had hoped that the stories Reverend Cargill had told would be forgotten but if there were now four men here willing to corroborate them, then they not only would those stories resurge, but they would be believed. "Adam, please ignore them. You knew this could happen one day. Just let it go. We can go to our room. We've had a wonderful time already."

It might have ended there but the four men were not ready to give up so easily. "Now, we was wondering how many people in town knows ya done and married a whore."

It was only that Elaine still had an arm wrapped around Adam's that stopped him from charging the man who had spoken. "Don't you dare say that about my wife. Get out of town before I kill you."

"Now, for a small payment, we'll do just that and not tell anybody your big secret."

"I'm not paying blackmail. You need to leave town."

"You gonna make us, all four of us?"

"If I have to."

"You ain't even wearing a gun. What ya gonna do about it or are ya jest gonna hide behind your whore's skirt?"

As gently as he could but with enough force so she knew he would not be stopped by her, Adam removed Elaine's grasp of his arm. Then he stepped forward and hit the man who had spoken last. The two others stepped in to help their friend as one of the men grabbed Elaine to hold her back. That infuriated Adam even more so even though he was taking blows, he was managing to land some powerful hits. One of the men doubled over with a blow to his abdomen as Adam kicked another between the legs dropping him to the ground in a fetal position. The third man used that opportunity with Adam otherwise engaged however to come up behind Adam and land a two fisted blow to his right shoulder temporarily making him lose feeling in his right arm as pain shot down to his wrist and back up to his shoulder. The man spun Adam around landing a series of blows before a shot was fired freezing him in the act of swinging. Adam dropped to his knees.

"Let her go, now. You're in enough trouble as it is."

As the fourth man released Elaine, she rushed to Adam's aid. By then, Hoss and Joe had arrived as well and stood guard lest anyone think to try to hurt him in any way. The two men Adam had downed stood too and moved next to the other two men.

"He hit first. We were only defending ourselves."

"You want me to believe he hit all three of you before any of you had a chance to hit him so you were each defending yourself? And what about you holding his wife like that? All four of you are heading to the jail with me. Hand over your guns to my deputy there and don't give me no trouble."

"We only said the truth. He attacked us for telling the truth. She was a whore at the Amarillo mining camp, and he knows it too. He's the one took her away from there."

There were shocked gasps in the crowd at that allegation. Adam was standing with his brothers' help by then and none of them disputed the claim. It was out now. There was no stopping the story from spreading. Adam and his family had known this would happen at some point but had hoped it wouldn't be so soon or so prominently released. There was a lot of murmuring from the crowd and a number of people who walked away when they heard that news.

"Boys, get your brother over to the doctor. Adam, I'll be wanting a statement from you and from your wife. I'll see you over to Doctor Martin's office in a bit."

With help from Hoss and Joe, Adam walked to the doctor's office. Paul was surprised. After a brawl in a saloon or dancehall, he was usually patching up Joe and occasionally Hoss. Adam was a less frequent visitor on those occasions and hadn't been in his office for fighting in quite some time.

"Adam, I think the last time I patched you up after a brawl was when Joe and Hoss brought you to town to celebrate before you married Barbara. I hate to ask, but what brought this on?"

His voice a bit muffled because Paul was dabbing at the blood on his cheek, Adam only stated the minimum story. "They said some things about Elaine."

"What kind of things?"

And all of the Cartwrights knew then that they had to tell Paul. He would be finding out soon enough anyway. Elaine began telling the story even though Adam said she didn't have to do that. Once she finished, Paul asked if he could talk to Adam and Elaine alone. It was a very clear hint to Hoss and Joe to leave. They stepped out and closed the door to the examination room where Adam sat on a table with his shirt off. As Paul finished bandaging Adam's ribs that he suspected were bruised only, he talked about his worries because of Elaine's previous profession.

"I wish I had known sooner, but I would like to examine Elaine to make sure she's healthy."

After advising Adam to lay back and rest for a bit, Paul took Elaine to the next room. A half hour later, they returned.

"As far as I can tell, Elaine is very healthy. She's a lucky one. She said that the two of you are looking forward to having a baby, and there's no reason that won't work out just fine." Paul put a hand on Adam's shoulder and squeezed it to reassure him that all was well. He suspected Adam was worried about things a lot more than he let anyone see.

There was a knock on the door then, and Paul answered to find Roy there. After Adam and Elaine explained what had happened, Roy asked what they wanted done. Adam thought that if Roy could just get them to leave town, it would be enough. Roy agreed and left. Hoss and Joe were there to make sure Adam and Elaine got to the hotel safely, and then they rode home. Up in their room, Adam and Elaine were quiet until they were in bed and resting as comfortably as they could. Adam was in physical discomfort, and Elaine was emotionally hurt.

"Adam, I know you told me it was inevitable, but I still feel awful. I don't know how we can go to church tomorrow. Everyone there will have heard the story by then, and now the women in town have even more reason to treat me like scum."

"Do not ever refer to yourself like that. I love you, and nothing you ever did can change that. If we have to move, we'll move, but I want you by my side forever."

"You would move away from here?"

"If there was enough cause, I would."

"But it's your home. It's the only place Jon has ever known."

"My home is wherever you and Jon are. My father and brothers would understand that."

"It would hurt them though."

There was no response to that. Adam knew she was correct, but after what had happened, he didn't know how to make sure his wife would be safe. He needed time to think about that, but first he needed some rest. "Let's try to sleep. We can talk more tomorrow."

Chapter 3

The next morning, the bruises on Adam's face made it difficult for him to shave. He managed without making too much noise, and Elaine helped him dress despite his barely polite acquiescence to her assistance. The livery station brought the carriage to the hotel as requested. It was difficult for Adam to get in and out of it, but he managed that as well. When they got to the church, Ben was waiting for them. They assumed that Hoss and Joe had told him what had happened. Ben addressed Adam first.

"Jon is inside with Hoss and Joe. We told him that you had been hurt, and he's worried. I've told him you were only bruised, and I'm hoping that's true. How are you?"

"Stiff and sore but no worse than I would be after breaking about two dozen stubborn mustangs."

"That will teach you not to take on four men at a time."

"Only three were swinging."

"Oh, so only three were swinging. And you think those odds were any better?"

"It worked out all right. I wasn't going to let them talk that way about Elaine and try to blackmail me."

"Adam, will you fight everyone who brings that up? You need to come to terms with it. You knew this would happen sooner or later. It could have all been out much sooner if people had believed Cargill. He was so obviously trying to hurt you and Elaine that people didn't accept his tales as true, but we know they are."

Elaine interrupted them because she worried that with Adam as tense as he was, there might be harsh words. "I've been telling him that too. He may be a bit irritable about it hearing it so much especially the way he's feeling this morning. Perhaps we could go inside, and talk about this at a later date?"

In church, Jon was worried about his father's face, and Adam had a lot of explaining to do after church services to make Jon understand that although fighting wasn't a good thing, sometimes a man had to decide it was time to fight if he was defending family. As a father, Adam could only hope that those words didn't come back to bite him.

For the next two weeks, Adam and Elaine avoided social events although they did attend church services holding their heads high to show they were not ashamed of anything. The minister did what he could in his sermons by including the stories of sinners who came to follow Jesus. Friends of the family also came forward to say that nothing in the past mattered. They also talked a lot and Adam conceded that it was unlikely that this would make him move away from the Ponderosa because the same news would follow them anywhere. There was coolness between the two of them though as they adjusted to the fact that now everyone in town knew Elaine's background. It was a very difficult two weeks for Elaine not knowing how she could make things better, and following Adam's lead for she had no other idea of what to do. Adam tried to accept the truth and move on.

"Elaine, I have regrets and mistakes in his life. I can't undo those actions either. All I can do is to try to do better in the future. It's all anyone can do."

"Yes, the minister told me that if I am remorseful and doing my best now and being faithful to the teachings of Jesus, that my past doesn't matter. Except it does, doesn't it? I made some terrible mistakes and you can't see me without thinking about those."

"I'm trying. I will. I know I told you that it didn't matter, but of course it does. I have to work it all out in my own mind."

"And in your heart?"

Adam didn't answer which was answer enough. They didn't argue. They didn't fight, but the coolness persisted. What made it even more difficult was that twice in those two weeks, Adam was summoned into the schoolhouse when he arrived to pick up his son. The reason for the first visit provided much entertainment for his brothers. The first time as he was unsaddling Sport, Hoss asked why he looked so upset. Adam told him.

"He what?" Hoss was as shocked as he was bemused.

"According to the teacher, he told all the youngest boys about what a man and a woman do to make a baby. He told them about the differences in anatomy that allow it to happen too. Then some of the boys told some of the girls and asked them if they could see how girls were different. I'm guessing a lot of parents would rather that Jon and I stay away from that school for quite some time."

"You're not gonna keep him outta school, are ya?"

"No, but it's tempting. He's too smart to keep out of school, but being smart doesn't mean he has even a thimbleful of common sense."

"Remind you of anyone?"

"Yes, it does, but Jon is my son, and Barbara had great sense about things, and now he has Elaine and she has pretty good common sense too."

"I remember that penis story though."

"Barbara took that in stride too. She got quite a chuckle out of telling the ladies in her quilting group that story."

"What penis story?" Elaine had come out to see Adam. Jon had come in the house very sheepishly and gone up to his room. When asked, he had only said that his father had told him to do that.

Hoss grinned. "Should I tell her?"

"Go ahead. You're the one who brought it up."

Trying to avoid laughing, Hoss told how Jon had just turned four years old, and Adam had thought it was about time he started using the correct terms for the parts of his body. So he named them all for the little boy including his penis. One day soon after that conversation, Jon was looking for his mother and walked into the washroom as she stepped from the bathtub. Both froze in dismay, I think Adam called it, but Jon, just as quick as could be, turned and ran from the room, all the while screaming as loud as he could."

"Why would he be screaming?"

"It's what he saw that shocked him. He ran yelling to Adam. 'Mama doesn't have a penis.' It was so funny. He wondered how his mother could do her necessary business. Adam had a lot more explaining to do."

"Yes, his curiosity is endless, but his common sense hasn't yet developed at all." Then Adam had to explain to Elaine about what had happened at school.

"You're not going to punish him for telling the truth, are you?"

"No, I'm going to punish him for disobeying me. He was told repeatedly that those things we discussed were very private and were not to be discussed with anyone else. Until today, I thought he understood that."

"Uh, Adam."

"Yes, Hoss, I will punish him. He has to learn to listen to everything I tell him not just the parts he wants to know and do."

"Uh, no, it's not that you see. It's just that he talked to me about it too, and I think he might have talked to Joe too." It was clear that made Adam angry. "I woulda told you, Adam, except I didn't know he wasn't supposed to talk to anybody about it."

"It's all right, Hoss. I'm not mad at you. I just have a son about to turn six who thinks he's about sixteen." With that, Adam left the stable to go talk with Jon. That night at dinner, Jon was quiet and also very still sitting on his chair. It was if he didn't want to move once he forced himself to sit down. Everyone at the table knew why. Over the next few days, as Adam dropped Jon off at school or picked him up, he apologized to other parents until he thought he had thoroughly humiliated himself. He worried too that somehow people would connect Jon's innocent mistake with Elaine's previous profession and spread even more gossip. He didn't have long to wait for that. Only a week later, he was summoned into school again. Jon wasn't waiting outside as he usually was. When Adam got inside, he saw why. Jon was holding a cold cloth to his cheek and nose. Adam pulled the cloth away to see what the damage was before he turned to the teacher for what he assumed was going to be a lecture on teaching his son not to fight.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Cartwright. I tried to stop the fight, but your son was so upset, he started swinging before I could do anything. I heard what the other boys were saying, and I rushed to get to them before there was any problem. The other boys are being sent home with notes. I hope that their parents discipline them appropriately."

"I don't understand. Why would Jon start a fight?"

"Well those things he told some of the younger boys last week, well some of the older boys made some comments that his stepmother used to do that with all sorts of men to make money. He got very upset and lashed out. I don't accept anyone fighting, and normally anyone starting a fight like that would be suspended from school attendance, but he is very young and that must have been a terrible shock to him. I'll let you handle it any way that you see fit. I hope that there will be no more of this talk in my school, and I will be sure to let the students understand that tomorrow. I'm sorry about what happened. I'll do what I can to help, but your son needs you to talk with him. You may take him home now. If you would like to keep him home for a few days, I understand. I have given him a list of things to do if he is not able to attend school."

Pausing to get control of his thoughts and emotions, Adam finally answered very simply with a thank you before gathering Jon in his arms and walking out. He set his son on his saddle and then mounted up behind him picking Jon up and sliding into the saddle before pulling him into his arms. They rode that way all the way home. When they got home, Hoss was in the yard. He helped Adam by taking Jon in his arms until Adam dismounted. Seeing that Jon was injured, Hoss volunteered to take care of Sport. Adam walked into the house and up the stairs asking Elaine to bring some cold water and cloth for compresses. No one saw any of them until dinner when Elaine came down to request a tray for their room. It was obvious that she had been crying. When Ben asked her what had happened, she started crying again. He stood and wrapped his arms around her as she told them what had happened. Then Hop Sing brought her a tray with food, plates, and utensils. She thanked him and headed back up the stairs.

"Pa, ya think that Adam ever expected to have this much trouble on account of what Elaine used to do?"

"Hoss, in his mind, I think he knew there would be trouble, but in reality, it hurts a lot more when it's your wife and your child who are hurt."

"So you're thinking that Adam figured he'd be the one insulted, and he'd deal with it?" Ben nodded to Hoss' query. "I wish there was something we could do to help."

"Yeah, and he probably never figured on having to talk to Jon about all this when he was still so young. I know I would have been thrown as hard as a mustang could throw me if I had to deal with something like that when I was his age." Then Joe remembered. "He lost his mother just like I did. He knew her just a little, and she was gone just like mine. I hope this doesn't ruin his chances of having a mother to take care of him."

"Joe, Elaine won't leave. She and Adam had that worked out before." Ben knew that Elaine had once offered to leave to spare her new family heartache. Adam had let her know he wanted her there forever regardless of what happened.

"Yes, but will Jon be able to trust her and love her like he did before he knew her past?"

"I think so. You boys have forgiven me for all the mistakes I made in raising you. Everyone makes mistakes, even our parents. Jon has to learn that."

"Pa, do ya think we oughta cancel the party?" In just two days, the Ponderosa was hosting the annual harvest party. Their friends looked forward to this last big get together before the cold winds of winter started to make any outdoor event impossible.

"Hoss, we have this party every year. I won't let what some gossips have done ruin that. The people who would spread these stories are not our friends and won't be at the party. This party might be just what we all need to put the past to rest and look to the future."

The next morning, Adam sat with Elaine and Jon at the breakfast table with the rest of the family. Nothing was said about what had happened the day before even though all three of them looked like they hadn't had enough sleep, and of course, Jon had some bruises on his face especially on his chin. Hop Sing brought out platters of food for breakfast and refrained from any commentary. It was if he knew, as the others did, that all three needed some time to adjust to the new circumstances. Now everyone knew and had to learn to accept the information and move on. Ben thought that his oldest son ought to consider the same idea when thinking about the fact that Elaine's background was now known to anyone in Virginia City who paid attention. He didn't know how to broach the subject knowing how touchy his son was at that point in time. The opportunity presented itself at the annual party the family gave in the fall.

Chapter 4

At the party, Ben asked Elaine to dance but she declined. She also declined when anyone else asked her to dance. She stayed near Adam all the time or went into the house to help with serving. Ben walked up beside Adam as he was tuning his guitar in preparation for sitting in with the band for a time.

"Is Elaine feeling all right? I know she's been quiet since the trouble in town and then the big problem at school with Jon, but she wouldn't even dance with me or your brothers."

"Jon has been a little standoffish with her. We talked and decided that it would be best if she only spends time with me or other women. Jon is looking at any man with suspicion right now. He doesn't understand what happened."

"He's trying though. I heard him tell Hoss that he wished we could have a happy house again, and Hoss told him that it was up to everybody to make that true. Jon told him he would do his best to make people smile."

"I guess I have been too serious. It's just that I feel like a mountain fell on me."

"I've noticed. Adam, you've lost that look of love." Adam looked up at his father wondering what he meant by that. "Whenever you looked at Elaine in the past, your love for her was in your look. Now you look at her as if you are feeling pain. You need to let go of the past and embrace the present. The good news is that's it. Nothing more can come up. It's all out in the open now. Remember what we heard in church on Sunday. The message was that God forgives so how can we hold actions against someone who is truly sorry."

"I don't hold it against Elaine. She only did what she had to do in order to survive. I've done things too that I thought were necessary and regretted them afterwards thinking I should have found a better way."

"Do you think Elaine should have found a better way?"

Rather sheepishly Adam had to admit he thought about that sometimes. "But then I realize that for a girl in a mining camp, there weren't any other ways especially when her father wouldn't help her. She must have been so scared, and she was so young."

"She's still very young and probably still scared about a lot of things. You married a very young woman, and surely you knew that sometimes that meant you would have to carry more of the responsibility in the marriage. Until she gets a bit older, it's not going to be an equal partnership."

"Yes, I know. She did tell Jon about how terrified she was when she was abandoned in that mining camp and how terrible she felt about doing things she believed were wrong. She said she still feels terrible about the things she did. He said he understood, but I don't think he actually does. He's trying though. This morning, he asked if he could do anything to help her. She couldn't think of anything but thanked him."

"Perhaps you could dance with her and show your son that the two of you are all right with each other? That might help Jon to know that his family is all right so he can move forward too. That's all I had to say. I hope you don't think I'm interfering, but I thought perhaps I could help." Ben turned to walk away then knowing that Adam would need time to think it through. After greeting some guests and chatting, he looked back to the porch where the band was playing, and Adam was nowhere in sight. His guitar was sitting in a chair next to the band. Ben smiled. Adam was so smart, it only took a nudge now and then to get him to do the right thing.

In the house, Elaine was talking with several women. One of them, Cora, was the young woman with whom Hoss had danced quite a bit two weeks earlier. Adam heard Elaine encouraging her.

"Hoss is just as sweet as he seems. With Hoss, what you see is what you get. He is very open and honest. I could tell he liked you so all you have to do is let him know you like him too."

Interrupting at that point by simply calling to Elaine, Adam smiled when she turned to him. "Could I have the pleasure of the next dance or two, Mrs. Cartwright?"

"I thought you were going to play guitar with the band."  
"I was until I had this incredible urge to dance with the most beautiful and charming woman here. Oh, no offense meant, ladies, but when my wife is around I can't even see other women." Adam held out his arm and Elaine smiled and slipped her arm through his. She had seen the look that said he loved her still and had forgiven her for all that had happened because of her. Once they were ready to dance, Adam gathered her into his arms and twirled around and around again as if no one else was there. He kept his eyes looking into her eyes making Elaine wonder how he could possibly avoid all those other couples who were dancing. Soon she realized that many of the couples had stopped dancing and were watching them. She smiled and did her best to follow Adam's lead until the music stopped. There was applause then, which made her blush. They danced the next several dances before both needed a break. Jon came over to them then smiling.

"Papa, Mama, you got your smiles back."

"Yes, we did. Now would you like to dance a square dance with your Mama? It's about time I called one."

"I don't know how to dance a square dance."

"Well, it's about time you learned then. Just listen to the instructions and follow what everyone else is doing."

Hoss was there with Cora and Joe had found a dance partner too. Several other couples lined up as well when Adam announced he would call a square dance. There were a few near collisions, and more than once, some of the dancers were a bit behind the others in moving to the new call, but all were laughing and having a good time. When Adam called for the ladies to pick up their partners, all of the men especially Hoss looked at Adam as if he was crazy. Elaine picked up Jon with some ease.

"And we have the winners of the square dance, our own Elaine Cartwright and Jon Cartwright."

Jon was excited. "What's the prize?"

"You may dance the next five dances with the lady of your choice."

"Aw, Papa, I don't want that prize."

"You can give it away if you wish."

Looking around, Jon pointed at Hoss and smiled. "Uncle Hoss, you can have my prize."

"Thank you, Jon. You heard him, Miss Cora. I'm using that prize right now to claim five dances with you." Hoss and Cora were sporting huge grins as they began the next dance.

Elaine moved beside Adam. "What prize do I win?"

Leaning down so only she could hear, Adam whispered to her. "You may take the man of your choice to your bed tonight and have your way with him."

"That sounds wonderful. Is it time for all these people to go home now?"

Adam laughed and pulled Elaine into a hug. He leaned down and kissed her softly before leading her out to dance once more. Nearly everyone at the party saw that expression of affection. Although some of the ladies thought it was too much of a public display, every woman who saw it wanted a man to embrace her and hug her that way. There would be plenty of witnesses now who could swear that Adam's marriage was a sound and beautiful one. It would counteract the gossip and rumors that had been rampant in town for two weeks. As Adam danced with Elaine, he knew in his heart that she loved him. She was even more beautiful with the knowledge that she was desired by her husband and cherished by him. It boosted her already strong confidence making her relax so she could let her inner joy emerge.

Ben was standing with Roy watching his two older sons dance. He especially liked seeing the smile that Hoss was sporting because it was clear he was quite enchanted with the young lady who looked at Hoss with adoring eyes. Ben hoped that maybe finally Hoss would be lucky in love. Adam had been lucky twice that way, but each had led him to heartache as well. It was Adam's way though. It seemed he seldom took the easy route to anything.

"Ben, it looks like Adam and Elaine done weathered this storm pretty darn well. And that's real good cause I think on him like a son. I hated it when I knew how all that talk was hurting the two of them."

"Yes, he and Elaine have managed to rise above it. Anyone talking about them negatively may find that others will not like that."

"Seeing her with Adam like that and seeing her with Jon earlier, anybody can see she's a good wife for Adam and a good mother to that boy. I like stories that turn out well."

"They've both been tested by circumstances in their lives, and both have come out of all of it stronger. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get a last dance or two in before this party's over."

"I gotta head back to town. As the sun goes down, the trouble goes up every Saturday. I'll see you all at church tomorrow morning."

As Roy left, and Ben danced the last dances of the evening, Adam was putting Jon to bed. He didn't want to go, but as Adam pointed out that the music had stopped and that there would only be work to do for the next hour, Jon decided that sleeping wasn't such a bad idea. Adam smiled as he left his son's room, but he stopped smiling when he saw Elaine looking very tired as she was walking down the hall.

"What's wrong? Are you sick?"

"No, I'm not sick, but I guess everything caught up with me. I just got so tired."

"Well, I'll tuck you in too then, I guess."

"Adam, I have to help with the cleaning up. I was only going to get an apron to wear."

"No, you don't. You need to rest. We have lots of people who can help clean up." By the time he unbuttoned her dress and helped her slip it off, Adam was wishing he could stay up in their bedroom too. But instead, he helped her slip on a gown before tucking her in.

"Adam, wake me when you come up later."

"Oh, and why would you want me to do that if you're so tired?" He had such a cheeky grin that Elaine knew he was well aware of what she wanted. For the previous two weeks, they hadn't made love much, and it was always with some tension. Both of them needed some loving time together to show the other how much they cared. Lovemaking was when Adam let all the barriers down. It was when he was the most open and vulnerable then allowing Elaine to see more of him than any other person ever would. She wanted and needed that at that time.

"You are such a tease. Now go help with the cleaning up, and wake me when you come up here later."

Grinning as he left the room, Adam was still worried and the grin vanished as soon as he shut the door. He couldn't bear the thought of losing another wife. Just the hint that Elaine wasn't feeling well scared him. He took a deep breath and went down the stairs to help clean up. Joe asked where he had been so he told him. Joe had a grin but Adam told him he had only tucked his wife into bed because she wasn't feeling well. When Joe realized Adam was worried, he didn't tease any more. Ben and Hoss had heard the conversation as well.

"You don't think she's coming down with anything, do ya?"

"No, Hoss, I think she just did too much. But it has happened several times over the last few weeks and even before all the troubles we had. Sometimes she's just exhausted and needs to rest. I'm worried that there might be something wrong."

After Hoss and Joe left the house to go help put away the tables and chairs in the yard, Ben moved to Adam's side. He was concerned too about Elaine.

"Son, perhaps on Monday, you could persuade her that a visit to Doctor Martin might be in order. I know he saw her only two weeks ago, but it couldn't hurt to see what he thinks."

"I'll see. Is that a woman I hear laughing outside? Did Joe manage to keep one of the ladies from leaving tonight."

It was Ben's turn to grin. "No, Cora stayed to help clean up. Hoss volunteered to give her a ride home. Her family said that would be fine. I think they like Hoss too."

"She seems very nice."

"Yes, I think so too. Hoss says that she's spunky, but I have seen no evidence of that. She seems quiet to me, but she seems to think a lot of Hoss so that's good. She told him that Elaine said he was very sweet and gentle. I guess she was worried because he's such a big man."

"I hope that you don't mind that Elaine was helping with the matchmaking. She loves Hoss like a brother."

"At this point, anyone can help those two younger sons of mine with making a match. We're almost done here. Why don't you go see to your wife. I know you must be worried."

"Thanks, Pa. I think I'll do that." When Adam got to the bedroom, he could hear Elaine's soft steady breathing and knew she was sleeping. He undressed and then lifted the covers from the bottom of the bed. He massaged one of her feet very thoroughly and then did the other. He heard her breathing change as she awakened. She didn't say anything letting him soothe the soreness from her feet. Tucking her feet back under the covers, he pulled the covers down to her waist and began massaging her back working from her neck all the way to her buttocks in long strokes putting gentle pressure in each one. He worked the muscles in her neck and shoulder and then made more long strokes down her body.

"That is lovely. You really know how to make a woman feel special."

"Is there any other area that needs attention?"

"My legs are a bit tired too."

Covering her back so she wouldn't get chilled, Adam pulled the covers up again on the lower end of the bed. He slid his hands up her legs from her ankles to her thighs softly kneading the flesh and working out the soreness. He continued to massage her legs until she moved to roll over.

"I can't do this as well if you roll over."

"Oh, I think you can. You're the expert though so I'll just have to let you work on your techniques with me as your willing subject."

"Ah, well then, sometimes a subject gets great benefit from a whole body massage." So Adam slid under the covers with his wife and made sure every part of her was touched lovingly. Both fell asleep later relaxed as any two people could be.

Chapter 5

The next morning, Hoss wasn't back. Ben told everyone that he had told Hoss to take a room in town if it got too late. It was so much safer than coming home alone when it was so dark. However Ben was actually surprised. Although he often told his sons to do that, and Joe and Adam often did, Hoss usually came home partly because he enjoyed sleeping in his own big bed, but also because he hated to miss Hop Sing's Sunday breakfast which usually included hotcakes. When they got to town and Hoss didn't meet them at church, Ben sent Joe to the hotel to get him, but he wasn't there. Then they began to worry, and that intensified when Adam found that their carriage was not at the livery stable. They were about ready to go into all out search mode when Elaine got Adam's attention.

"Isn't that our carriage coming down the road with that other carriage?"

Ben responded first. "Indeed it is, and that's Cora beside him. He better have a good story for this one." Ben couldn't help slipping into his father mode when he saw Hoss driving the carriage with the woman he was supposed to have driven home the night before. Hoss arrived with a big grin. He jumped down from the carriage and rushed to the opposite side to help Cora down. Before Ben could say anything, Cora's parents arrived in the second carriage.

"Hey, Pa. Cora's father said there was no reason to get a room in town seeing as how they have an extra bedroom now that her brother got himself married. Cora and her sister shared a room last night so I could have a room. Cora's mama is one fine cook, let me tell ya. We had stacks of hotcakes and piles of bacon for breakfast. Good thing I had my party duds on when I drove Cora home. Everything all right at home?" Hoss noticed his father's look but had no idea what might be wrong.

"We checked at the hotel and at the livery stable. For all we knew, you were missing."

"Well, it took a while to get going this morning, but we still got here before services started. I didn't think you'd be worrying."

"Oh, you didn't think I'd be worrying."

"Sorry, Pa."

Then Ben couldn't hold it in any longer and began laughing. "You boys aren't the only ones who can play a prank on someone. Now, let's get inside."

The large group made quite an entrance and took up both front pews in the church. Adam and Elaine took seats in the second row with Jon between them. Cora's parents sat with them. In front Ben sat next to Cora with Hoss on her other side. Of course, Joe had volunteered to escort Cora's sister. Ben shook his head at that, but Joe was irrepressible when it came to women. After services, the women's group was having a short meeting. Ben suggested that Hoss might like to invite Cora to Sunday dinner, but he didn't want to go inside to interrupt the ladies. Elaine volunteered to go. As she entered the building, she stood shocked into immobility and silence.

"Well, somebody ought to do something about Cartwright bringing that kind of woman into our church."

The Elaine heard Cora's voice. "And what kind of woman is that? A woman who's a loyal and devoted wife? A woman who is a loving mother to her stepson? I saw them together last night and no one could ask for a nicer woman to have in their family."

"Well, you're only saying that because you like that Hoss Cartwright. Now he would never bring such a woman into their family and expect everyone to accept her."

"Well, I hope he would because I'm not perfect, but I like him very much. I hope he does consider me acceptable to his family because he has one of the most honorable and moral families I know. I would be honored to be accepted by them."

"Well perhaps you shouldn't be part of our Christian women's group if you have such liberal ideas."

Cora's mother spoke up then. "My daughter said what I've been thinking on for some time now. How can we be a Christian group and listen to this condemnation of people. I think my daughters and I will be leaving now. We'll have a Christian women's group forming up at our house next Saturday at noon. Anyone here who believes and practices what Christ taught is welcome to attend. Oh, and by the way, I plan to invite Elaine Cartwright to join us. I got to talking with her a bit last night, and I think she would be a wonderful addition to our group."

"Well, I never . . .

Cora interrupted her with a laugh. "Oh, yes you have, and so have we all. We've all sinned, and we all have our regrets. Thankfully, faith and remorse will take care of that for us. Good day, ladies. We'll be leaving now."

Cora, her mother, and her sister stood to leave. Most of the women in the room stood then too except for the leader of the small group and her two close friends. The three of them were the center of most of the gossip in town. Clementine Hawkins was the first of the other women to speak.

"I make some wonderful tea and biscuits although I'm not much for sewing. Would you be willing to let me assist with the refreshments for our meeting at your house on Saturday?"

"Clemmie, I would have been disappointed if you hadn't volunteered. Thank you."

Chatting and talking over what would be on the agenda for their meeting, the ladies began to file out of the church. Most were surprised to see Elaine standing in the vestibule.

Elaine stuttered out an apology. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to eavesdrop, but when I heard my name, I was frozen to this spot."

"Oh, that's fine, ducky. Did you hear then that our dear Mildred wants you to join our group? I hope you will."

"I would be very pleased to join you. Cora, Hoss sent me in here to ask if you would be willing to come to dinner tonight on the Ponderosa. In fact, perhaps your sister and your parents would like to come too?"

"Oh, I can't. My brother and his wife are coming over to our house this evening. Perhaps Hoss could join us?"

"Why don't you go ask him? He hasn't left yet."

Hoss was pleased to be invited, but told Cora he had to go home and change. "I'll be there in a shake of a horse's tail though, ifn you don't mind. Maybe we could go for a ride this afternoon?"

"Hoss, I would like that. I'm looking forward to seeing you again."

After Cora left with her parents, Elaine walked up to Hoss. "She's a keeper, Hoss. You better reel her in as quick as you can. That is definitely one you don't want to let get away."

"You like her then?"

"She's wonderful. I look forward to being her friend, so don't you mess this up." Elaine had a mock frown when she said it, but it didn't fool Hoss in the slightest. He picked her up in a big Hoss hug before he set her down and hurried to drive the carriage home. Elaine walked to the surrey where Adam helped her up into the seat in back with Jon before climbing in himself. Ben and Joe were on the front seat. Joe snapped the reins to follow Hoss home.

All were curious, but Adam asked first. "Now what was that all about?" Elaine explained everything that she had heard and about the plans for the next Saturday. Adam and Ben smiled. Things were definitely looking up, and both were pleased to find out that indeed Cora did have some spunk as Hoss had described it. Jon had listened and had his own question.

"Is anyone going to explain it so I can understand it?"

"Hoss likes Cora and might be seeing a lot of her. He's going to be at Cora's home for dinner today. We like Cora too. Elaine and Cora are going to be in a women's group and do things to help people."

"So is Uncle Hoss gonna marry Cora?"

"That could happen. We have to wait and see."

"Why, if he likes her, and you like her, and she likes him, why wait?"

Adam didn't have an answer for that right away. He looked at his father and at Elaine to see if they were willing to help, but they both had those little smiles that said they enjoyed seeing him in this situation where he had to struggle a bit to come up with the right thing to say. "Remember the first time you ate some of Hop Sing's peach pie. You thought it was all right. But every time he fixed it, you had a piece and liked it more and more. Now it's your favorite dessert. It's that way with people sometimes too. You think they're all right, but the more time you spend with them, the more you like them. As you learn more about them, they seem better and better to you just like the peach pie did to you. Does that make sense?"

"Sure, Papa, but why didn't you just say that Uncle Hoss needed to get to know her better before he marries her?"

To laughter all around, Adam nodded. "Yes, that's what I should have said."

"It's nice today. Can we have a picnic?"

"May we have a picnic?"

"I don't know. Do we have to ask Grandpa?"

Adam shook his head and closed his eyes in exasperation. Some days it seemed that Jon did his best to make conversation difficult. He never grinned when he did it though so Adam didn't know if he was innocent or a much better actor than his father. Elaine whispered in Jon's ear.

"Papa, may we have a picnic today? I think Mama wants one too."

"Well, then perhaps we should. Does everyone want to have a picnic?"

Ben turned back. "I would love to have a picnic today. It's been a long time since I was on a picnic, and we certainly have a lot of food left from the party so packing a picnic lunch won't be a problem at all."

Once they got to the house, changed clothing, and began gathering things for a picnic, Hoss had to ask. "Dadburnit, I want to be on the picnic too."

"Son, you were going to take Cora for a ride. Bring her down to the lake where we always picnic. You could be there at least for a while. You could even see if her family wanted to come. They could still be back for dinner."

"Pack enough food then. I'm heading over there as fast as I can go to see if they want to join us."

By the time that Adam and Ben got the others to the lake, set up the picnic area, and unpacked food and drinks, Hoss was walking down the slope with Cora. Both of them had huge grins because they enjoyed each other's company so much. Elaine stepped close to Adam.

"Did we ever have grins that big when we were together at first?"

"No, I don't think so." Adam saw how disappointed Elaine was with that answer. "Because I was always staring at you and wondering how I could have been so lucky. I expected to be hit with lightning at any moment. It made me too nervous to grin like that."

Even though Elaine softly punched him in the arm for that, Adam knew she was please with his answer. She smiled and the love was back in her eyes too. Jon wanted to skip stones so they made their way to the shore. Hoss walked down with Cora to participate as Ben sat in the shade of the tree enjoying the view. He wondered where Joe had gone until he heard a yell from up above. Joe had gotten a couple of bigger boulders to the edge of a cliff. He wanted to roll them into the water for a big splash. The first one dropped against some rocks, but the second hit the water creating a small geyser. Jon was impressed and yelled up to his uncle.

"Wow, Uncle Joe, can you do more of those?" Then he turned to his father with a question too. "Can I go up there to help him, Papa?"

"May you go up there to help him?"

"Huh?"

"The word you want to use is may not can. May is asking permission while can refers to your ability to do something."

Jon thought for a moment. "So that's why you've been repeating my questions all the time. Why didn't you just tell me the first time?"

Laughing enthusiastically, Elaine had to sit down on a boulder before she collapsed. Adam scowled at her and then at his son. "I thought you understood but didn't remember to use the correct word."

"No, I was wondering why you did that. Now I know. May I go up and help Uncle Joe?"

"No, you may not. You can't go up there without an adult, and I have no interest in scaling rocks right now."

"If Uncle Hoss or Grandpa goes with me, can I, I mean, may I go up there?"

"Yes, you may if one of them goes with you."

Jon turned his eyes on Hoss and asked.

"No, punkin, cause I got a guest here, and it would be rude to leave her here while I went with you. I think Grandpa could use a little exercise though. It's been a while since he did any climbing." Hoss thought he was setting his father up for a little teasing, but he was surprised when a minute later, Ben was walking with Jon toward the cliff. "Whenever I want something from Pa from now on, I'm sending Jon to ask. Pa sure does like being a grandfather."

Meanwhile Adam had wrapped his arms around Elaine's waist as the two prepared to skip some stones. Adam held her so she didn't slip on the rocks, and Elaine deftly skipped stones over the water's surface.

"Oh, Hoss, I want to do that."

Hoss was thinking it would be nice to do it just like Adam was so he wrapped one arm around Cora's waist after picking up a few small flat stones and handing them to her. "Now, I'll just hang onto you like Adam is hanging onto Elaine so she don't fall. I don't want you to slip on the wet rocks either." He held her then and couldn't help but enjoy the warm sensation of her body pressed against his and the smell of her hair just under his chin. He looked over to see Adam grinning at him and had to grin back. Right then he decided that he was going to ask Cora if he could court her. Then they would have to make sure that was all right with her parents. He felt a peace settle over him that he had never felt before and understood for the first time what Adam meant when he had said that being married to the right person completed him.

Chapter 6

The rest of the picnic was relaxing and fun, and as the afternoon grew close to dusk, the carriages were packed up and they headed back home although Hoss was having dinner with Cora's family first. When he returned to the Ponderosa, he had a strange look as though he was happy and sad at the same time. Ben asked him if anything bad had happened.

"Nah, just some good news that is gonna take a while to happen."

That confused everyone, but they had to wait until Hoss took off his coat, hat, and gunbelt. Then he seated himself on the settee and stared into the fire. Joe couldn't wait any longer.

"So what happened? You can't just stop there."  
"Oh, Cora agreed to me courting her. She's all right with the idea of us getting hitched and having a passel of kids."

Joe rushed to Hoss' side and slapped him on the back. "That's great news. Just great. We're gonna have the best wedding anybody ever saw here in Nevada."

Ben and Adam waited quietly because they knew there was more to Hoss' story.

"Gonna be a while, Joe."

"What?"

"Her parents think that we oughta have a long session of courting. Her mama was saying she always dreamed of her daughters having a June wedding like she did when the flowers are in bloom and everything's so green and purty. I kinda like that picture too, cept it's nearly eight months away."

"Son, perhaps her family wants her to be sure. She is rather young, and mothers tend to be very protective of their daughters."

"Pa, she's as old as Elaine, and she wants to get married too. Her brother is only a year older, and he's already married."

"I'm sorry, but I think you have to accept her parents' decision. If they want her to wait, then it wouldn't be proper to rush things."

"That's a long time to wait."

Everyone except Jon understood that it wasn't the wedding that had Hoss concerned. It was going to be very difficult to be with Cora all that time without any kind of intimacy. Joe, of course, was the only one who said anything about that earning a harsh look from his father before he even finished. "Well, it's almost winter, Hoss. You'll be able to roll in the snow to cool yourself down."

"Joseph, you would be good to remember that there is a lady present and a boy when you decide to speak like that."

"Sorry, Pa. I was only trying to lighten the mood a bit."

"So you thought you would lighten the mood a bit with that comment? Perhaps you could consider lightening the mood by some sincere congratulations for your brother, and perhaps we could also discuss where the wedding will be."

Jon had the best comment. "I don't know why you want to get married anyway. I know what that means you have to do. Papa told me."

"Jon, not now."

"Yes, Papa." It was time for bed for him anyway so he made a strategic retreat up the stairs. Adam went up a few minutes later to tuck him in. Joe had a comment for that too.

"Isn't he getting to be a little old for getting tucked in every night?"

"Joe, Pa still tucks you in almost every night. You just don't know it."

Looking over at Ben in smirking disbelief, Joe was surprised to see that his father looked a little embarrassed. "Son, a father's work is never done."

"You come in every night?"  
"You do have a tendency to throw off the covers and leave your window open."  
"No, every morning, it's closed." Then Joe halted realizing what he had just said. He looked at his father. "Almost every night? Just me or do you check on Hoss and Adam?"

"Well, I can hear Hoss so I know he's all right, and Adam was usually up as late or later than I am and now has Elaine to care for him, so yes, I just check on you almost every night."

"So twenty years from now, Adam will still be checking on Jon every night?"

"Well, I am hoping that Jon will get married at a younger age than his father so Adam won't have to do that." That got a chuckle from everyone and did lighten the mood. Then Ben returned to a topic Hoss had introduced and everyone had ignored. "You did say that the two of you want a passel of kids?"

"Shur, Pa, you know I always like having kids around. It would be a hoot to have a bunch of my own. I love Jon, but I want my own."

"I like the sound of that, son. I like the sound of that a lot. How about some brandy to celebrate this occasion even if you have to wait until June. Maybe as the next month or two pass, her parents might be persuaded to move up the date."

"I shur would love that, Pa, moving up the date, that is. I wouldn't mind a bit of brandy too though."

After sharing brandy with his sons, Ben smiled as he sat in his red leather chair by the fireplace absorbing the warmth of the fire as his heart was warmed by the thought of Hoss being married and having children. Ben longed for more grandchildren, and Hoss' news couldn't have been better as far as he was concerned. He sipped a second brandy and relaxed. The morrow could bring no news that could tarnish this moment.

Upstairs, Adam had undressed and slipped into bed waiting for Elaine to finish with her evening ablutions. She liked a bit of privacy when she did that, and as they did not have a water closet for her to use, she was behind the screen in their room. Adam thought she was taking a long time and asked if she needed help with anything. She said no, but her shaky voice told him something else. When she slipped into bed, he reached for her.

"Adam, I'm very tired. I need to sleep."

"C'mere. I'm not trying to convince you to make love with me. I want you to talk to me. What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong. I'm just tired."

"I don't want to go back to this. We spent a couple of weeks not talking. I hated that. We just had a good weekend, and everything seemed better, but now you won't talk with me again."

Elaine could hear the hurt in his voice, and she didn't like not being in his arms either. She snuggled in to his embrace then. "Adam, I am just very tired. Could we talk tomorrow if you still want to?"

"Only if you agree to go see Doctor Martin. I want to know why you've been so tired the last few weeks."

"With everything that happened, I would think that was obvious."

"It was happening before all the trouble occurred. And it seems to hit you very hard some times. You look pale when you get that tired. I want you to see the doctor."

"All right, if it happens again when I haven't a good reason for it, then I'll go see the doctor. But this was a long day with a lot happening. I guess I'm just not as strong as you are. I need my sleep."

Adam let her close her eyes and drift into sleep, but he didn't fall asleep for quite a while. He wondered if there was something seriously wrong, or if she was correct, and she simply needed rest after doing so much. He had felt invigorated after their time at the lake, but perhaps for Elaine, it had been more tiring. He hoped that was true as he closed his eyes and willed himself to sleep. In the morning, Elaine did look much better. She had good color and seemed energetic. Adam thought that at least for the time being, he would accept her explanation of why she had these episodes of being so exhausted. When his father asked if he was taking Elaine to see the doctor, he offered her explanation and could see that his father was skeptical as well. But Elaine ate a good breakfast and began working on new curtains for Ben's bedroom. The two men watched her work as they sat at Ben's desk.

"With Hoss getting married and planning on a lot of children, this house isn't going to be large enough. Have you thought about what you want to do?"

"If you mean do I like living here, the answer is yes. I feel more comfortable knowing that Jon and Elaine are here."

"And your privacy?"

"That is a bit of a concern, I admit, but a small price to pay for the peace of mind."

"I have a suggestion." Adam looked at his father wondering what it could be because he had no idea what it might be. "There's room at the back of the house for an addition. I thought that if you wanted to, you could design an edition with bedrooms and an office. It could be your wing of the house. You would all have some privacy, but you would still be in the main house sharing the main rooms."

Adam was thoughtful before answering. "That's an appealing idea. Elaine would like a water closet. I could build on into the addition."

"If you did that, I would like one too. Perhaps Jon's bedroom could be remodeled into one?"

Hearing his name and his bedroom mentioned, Jon looked up from the book he had been reading. It was storming and Adam had told him that he was staying home from school. He hadn't objected because he didn't like storms at all. Now though he overheard part of his father's conversation with his grandfather and wanted to know what they were discussing. "What are you going to do with my room? Where am I going to sleep?"

"You're way ahead of us on that one, Jon. Grandpa was saying that we could add on to the house. You would have a new bedroom and so would Mama and I. We could have a water closet in the addition, and Grandpa wants one for the upstairs too."

"What's a water closet?"

"It's an indoor necessary, but we would add a bathtub, and a wash basin. You wouldn't have to use the necessary outside, and we would have no need of chamberpots either."

"I'd like that!" Elaine joined the conversation as well.

"I'll have to go to town to order what we need. It likely will be months before the parts for that arrive."

"If you could design the addition, we could get walls and a roof in place before the snow flies. Then we could work on the rest during the winter months when the walls start to close in on you. It would be an excellent winter project."

"Pa, what about Hoss? What does he want to do when he gets married?"

"He's out right now with Joe looking at potential building sites." Chuckling a little, Ben related some of the conversation he had had with Hoss that morning. "He's a little concerned about leaving Hop Sing behind. He has not asked Cora if she can cook. He thinks she probably is a good cook because her mother cooks well, but he hasn't found that out yet."

Chuckling, Adam leaned back in his chair. "It must be true love then."

"Yes, it must be true love then. Now, I'm going to town unless you would rather go to drop off these papers for me?" Ben inclined his head toward Elaine wondering if Adam had convinced her to see the doctor.

"No, I think I'll go do some measurements. Jon can help me. Any other errands I have in town can wait for a week or so." Adam let his father know that he was still deeply concerned, but that for the time being, it was a wait and see situation.

For the rest of the morning, Adam did some measuring and started to visualize how an addition could be designed. Jon had never seen anything built or at least not that he could remember so Adam had a lot of questions to answer as they walked with a measuring rod, and Adam pounded stakes into the ground. His father had been correct that there was plenty of room for an addition, but with the slope, there were going to be three stories instead of two. Adam liked the idea of having the two top floors, but he would have to talk with his father and brothers about what to do with a lower floor.

"Papa, are you and Mama gonna have a baby?"

"Well, we would like to but God hasn't blessed us with one yet."

"Are you trying?"

"Jon, what have I told you about that?"

"Sorry, Papa, but I was thinking I'd really like a brother, and if you had one now, he'd still be way younger than me."

"I'm six years older than Hoss and we're good brothers."

"Yeah, Papa, but you're both old. I want a young brother, one I can play with, and share things with."

"You'll have to include that in your prayers at night and hope God blesses us with one."

"I will, Papa. I will."

At lunch with the rest of the family later, Adam discussed options for the lower floor, but none of the ideas were appealing. The final decision was to frame in the lower floor and leave it for future expansion as they saw fit. For the time being, it would be empty. That being decided, Adam asked if they would like him to build a veranda out from the second floor addition.

"Adam, what's a veranda?"

"Hoss, it's like a big porch but it's roofed and has a railing all around. It's quite popular in Australia right now according to articles I've read, and they've been a part of New Orleans architecture for a long time."

As soon as New Orleans was mentioned, Joe agreed that a veranda was a good idea. Ben thought it would make the back of the house as attractive as the front so he agreed as well. Adam mentioned that it could be used as a summer dining area because it would be cooler for eating and won Hoss over to the idea as well.

"Well, then all I need to do is to draw it and come up with a list of supplies that will be needed. We can keep the lumber mill operating until we cut what we need for the beams and the framing. If we get that done before the snow flies, we can work on the rest during the winter. It could be ready by spring or even late winter."

"Yeah, and then we can build my house. I picked a spot not more than a quarter mile from here. It's right purty. I want a house with a lot of bedrooms for a passel of kids."

"And still within range of Hop Sing's kitchen."

"Now, Joe, you know I was only thinking of Cora's safety and how purty that spot is." Except Hoss' grin belied his words giving everyone a good chuckle. Adam thought back to how just days before, life had seemed so difficult, and with his family's help, it was all looking better. That lasted until Elaine excused herself to go up to their bedroom. After agreeing to design a house for Hoss as soon as he could, Adam excused himself and followed her closing the bedroom door when he entered. Elaine was sitting on the bed and looking pale.

"All right. It's time we talk, and one of the subjects is going to be when you go to see Doctor Martin."

Chapter 7

"Adam, I don't need to see Doctor Martin. I just get tired. I'm not sick. I'm not in pain."

"But you weren't like this before. For the past month or so, this has happened often. I want you to see the Doctor. Maybe it's something simple, and he can have you feeling better soon."

"I doubt he has anything to make me feel better about this. It's just that so much has happened in the past year. I think it all just caught up with me."

Sitting next to Elaine on the bed, Adam wrapped an arm around her shoulders and pulled her to him. A few tears coursed down her cheeks. Softly he talked to her. "I love you. I want you to tell me what's wrong. I know the last couple of weeks were difficult, but I thought we worked that out. I hope I haven't done anything to make you feel so sad and down. Why the tears?"  
"It's Hoss."  
That shocked Adam. "What could Hoss have done to make you feel badly?"  
"It's not what he's done. It's what he says, and he says it a lot. He wants a lot of children, and Adam, we've been married almost a year, and with everything we do, I thought for sure there would be a baby on the way by now. But I'm still barren. What if I can't ever have a baby?"

"I know it's trite to say this, but it's still true. What will happen, will happen. We have each other. We have Jon. If that's all there ever is, we're very lucky. If you do become with child, I will be very happy, but my life will not be unhappy if you do not bear children. How do you feel about it?"  
"I want to have a baby so much. I think I need to have a baby to make me feel like a true wife and a true mother. Every other woman who wants a baby seems to have one."

"Sweetheart, you are a wonderful wife to me and a wonderful mother to Jon. Is this because of things your father said to you?" At Elaine's nod, Adam continued. "He was a man who thought he was doing good, but he was doing evil to those around him. Nothing can be more insidious than someone who believes in their heart that they must do things like he did. It's how I feel about the men who led the South into a war they could not win sacrificing hundreds of thousands of lives and damaging our nation nearly beyond repair all for their own selfish ends. Their fanaticism hurt so many. Your father sadly was a fanatic. He's gone now, but the damage he did may take a long time to repair. Know that I always loved you, admired you, and wanted you by my side even if it took me some time to admit it to myself."

"You admired me after what I had done?"  
"You were sixteen years old and you found a way to survive in a situation in which many would have perished. You were courageous and bold. Who knows what choices a person will make until they are thrust into dire circumstances and have to make quick decisions that may have long-term effects. You did the best you could and kept your spirit at the same time. Of course, I admired your determination in the face of adversity. You are a heroine in my book."

"I'm in one of your books?"

"Well, I meant that figuratively, but you are in my journals. I struggled a lot with the decision first that I could not pursue a romantic relationship with you, and I struggled with my desires for you despite what my mind was telling me."

"Do you ever let anyone read your journals?"

Rubbing his cheek as he thought, Adam took some time before answering. "Those are my most private thoughts. If you want to read any of it, you may, but you need to know that you are not to share anything in my journals with anyone else. Those journals should never leave this room. Years ago I hid them from Joe, and they're still hidden. I don't always write in them. I only write when I'm troubled and need to express myself. I trust you as my wife so I trust you with my innermost thoughts and feelings."

"I understand. I don't think I want to read them now. I was thinking it would be fun to know what you thought, but I guess there would be a lot of doubt and indecision in there too. It's best if I don't read our past."

"Thank you. Now, about the future: I want you to see Doctor Martin this week."  
Nodding, Elaine conceded that point. "After you're done drawing the addition, you can give me approximate measurements for windows. I want to sew curtains and matching bedcovers for the bedrooms, and sew some curtains for an office for you too. We can go to town to shop for fabric, and then I'll go see Doctor Martin if you still want me to."

The week was very busy, and by Friday, it was too late to accomplish that goal, but Elaine had felt well all week without any of those spells when she seemed so exhausted. Adam was relieved of much of his worry and wondered if the spells had been emotional in nature. That Saturday, Cora was coming over to spend the day with Hoss and his family. Her parents insisted that the couple should be chaperoned if they were spending an entire day together, so the whole family were the designated chaperones. Joe was the one who tried to have fun with it pushing between Cora and Hoss whenever he thought they got too close together. After almost two hours of that, Hoss had had enough.

"Joe, you do that one more time, and you're gonna be breaking that ice in the horse trough with your head. You understand that, little brother?"

"Sure, Hoss. I only meant to have a little fun. I didn't want to make you mad."

"Well, mebbe you ought to think on what you're doing in the future before you get yourself in a lot of trouble. Miss Cora is a guest in our home, and I expect you to be on you best behavior when she's around."

"Sorry, Miss Cora. I meant no offense."

"Yeah, Joe, about time you growed up some so you wouldn't have to be apologizing to the ladies all the time."

Unable to hold his mirth inside, Ben took the pipe he had been filling and headed out to the porch. Adam quickly followed him. He didn't trust himself to speak so he patted Hoss on the shoulder on the way out grabbing his coat and his father's for Ben had hurried out so fast he neglected to take his coat. Once outside, the two nearly collapsed in laughter. Hearing Hoss sounding like a father and scolding Little Joe had been especially humorous. Inside Jon sat on the settee and leaned in to whisper to Elaine.

"Mama, why did Papa and Grandpa think it was funny that Uncle Hoss was yelling at Uncle Joe and telling him how to behave?"

"Hoss sounded a lot like a father there scolding Joe for his behavior. I guess now that your Uncle Hoss is planning to be married and a father, his attitude has changed."

"Does that mean I won't be able to have fun with him any more?"

"Oh, no, you're a boy so your Uncle Hoss will be happy to have fun with you. He's always treated you well, and he loves you as much as any man can. He just wants his brother to act more like a man and less like a boy. He doesn't like all the teasing he's gotten this morning, and he's letting your Uncle Joe know that."

"I didn't tease him."

"I know. You have been very nice to Cora, and Uncle Hoss appreciates that. In fact, he told your Uncle Joe just that a minute ago. He said you treated Cora better than Joe did." That made Jon proud, and he sat up and listened to the rest of the conversation understanding it far better than he had when it began.

The family gathered together for lunch that went well as Cora learned more about the family, and they learned about hers.. After lunch, Adam and Elaine were going to take a ride with Hoss and Cora to the site that Hoss had chosen for their home. If Cora approved, then Hoss and Adam were going to pace off dimensions and set some rocks at corners. That was the plan, but as they arrived at the site, Elaine had another of her spells where she was weak and needed to lie down. Instead of pacing off dimensions and setting the corners, Hoss drove the wagon to town so that Elaine could see Doctor Martin. Adam held Elaine in his embrace as they drove. Cora kept looking back to be sure they didn't need any more help. The skies turned gray and the clouds loomed lower as bad weather threatened and then hit before they reached town. Hoss had driven carefully so as not to jostle Elaine, but regretted that when cold icy rain pelted them for the last few miles of the trip.

"I'm so sorry. Ifn I'd a known this was gonna happen, I woulda drove faster."

Adam had removed his coat and wrapped it around Elaine. Hoss handed the reins to Cora for a moment and removed his coat too handing it to Adam. "That's big enough to go around her once more. Keep her head down and she should be dry enough and warm enough until we get to the Doc's office."

Thanking him, Adam took the coat and wrapped it around Elaine. She objected saying Hoss would get too chilled, but Adam gave her the same answer he had given her when she objected to him removing his coat to wrap it around her. "We've been through worse, and we're not sick. You need to stay warm."

At the doctor's office, Adam lifted Elaine and handed her off to Hoss who stood at the side of the wagon. He headed into the office before Adam could climb stiffly from the wagon. He helped Cora from the wagon and escorted her inside. Paul took one look at the two men.

"My prescription for you two is to go to the bathhouse for a hot bath, get some dry clothing, and meet me back here in an hour. I'll have some answers for you by then. Oh don't look at me like that, Adam Cartwright. You're not going to do your wife any good by getting sick. There's nothing the two of you can do here for the next hour except shiver and shake. Now go."

"Doctor, I could help."

"Yes, Cora, I think you could. Let's get Elaine to the examining room." Paul thought that Cora looked like she knew what was going on. He suspected she might because it had happened to her sister-in-law too.

After a trip to the mercantile for dry clothing and the fastest bath Adam probably ever had, he was back in the doctor's office. Hoss arrived fifteen minutes later. They drank coffee that had been brewed hours ago and hardly noticed the bitter flavor as they sat and worried.

At about the hour mark, Paul came out as he said he would. He asked Adam to come back with him as Cora came out to sit with Hoss. She whispered to him. "It's nothing bad." Cora was smiling so Hoss relaxed. Adam heard but didn't comprehend what she could mean. His only thoughts were his wife and what might be wrong. Elaine was resting on the bed in the room and looking far better than she had an hour earlier. She had a glass of water in her hand, and Paul told her to keep drinking as he talked with Adam. It took a minute before what Paul was saying penetrated Adam's consciousness, and even then, he asked him to repeat it.

"The last time I saw Elaine, she said that the two of you were looking forward to having children. I could see that was the case, and I told both of you that I didn't see any problem. It was only in talking with Elaine that I realized she was speaking of a future possibility, and I was speaking about a present reality. I am sorry for the misunderstanding. I wondered at the time why you didn't look happier."

"So we're going to have a baby? That's why she's been feeling that way?"

"Well, it is a bit more complex than that. I knew she was with child, but I had no idea until today that it's two."

"We're going to have twins?"

"As far as I can tell, and that's part of the reason why she's been so faint. Having two is harder than one. She's also had the urge to go to the necessary a lot more often. So when she's had something to do like be a hostess at a dance or take a wagon ride, she hasn't been drinking anything so as not to inconvenience anyone else. That is a common problem with ladies in her condition, but having two is a greater strain on a woman's body. Instead of drinking less, she should be drinking more. I want her to eat better too. She thought she was gaining weight because her dresses were getting tight so she cut back on eating just when she should be eating more. The combination of those factors caused her episodes of being weak and tired or even a bit dizzy."

"But, how could she be with child?"

Smiling, Paul shook his head. "If you weren't so worried, I would chide you for that remark." Adam scowled. "No, I know what you mean. Her flow diminished but didn't stop. She is at least three months along, and I doubt there'll be any more of that. That happens fairly often, but Elaine had no way of knowing that. If there is a problem with that, we may have to have her spend more time in bed or resting with her feet up."

"Can I take her back home?"

"Eventually, you can, but right now, I want her to rest and stay warm. When the weather clears, then you can take her home."

The rain had stopped, but the sky still looked threatening. After Hoss learned from Cora what she knew about Elaine, he headed to the mercantile to buy two slickers so that he and Cora could return to the Ponderosa. The plan was to have dinner there, and then Hoss would take her home. He suspected that by now, his father was worried that they had not yet returned especially after the storm. He returned to Paul's office to congratulate his brother and tell him he would be back the next day for him.

"I'll tell Pa and Jon what's going on ifn you want."

"I would like to be the one to tell them, but you should. They'll be worried, and if they don't get the whole story, they will continue to worry. We'll stay in the hotel tonight. We'll make a trip to the mercantile for the things we need. Thank you, Hoss, and thank you, Cora."

Adam hugged his brother and then his future sister-in-law. She had never seen him so overwhelmed by emotion. After he returned to the examining room to sit with Elaine while she rested, Cora turned to Hoss.

"I know you said he was very warm and gentle, but I never had seen that in him. I've seen him smile that warm smile of his, and I've seen how he looks at her and Jon with such love in his eyes. I just never expected to be hugged by him."

"It made me pretty happy too. I know now that Adam has completely accepted you into the family. If he had any doubts, he wouldn't have done that."

"What would he have done?"

"He woulda tried to find out your faults and make sure I didn't make a terrible mistake." The Hoss told her about Helen and Regan and the trouble they had caused between him and Adam.

"So he did that to protect you? Is he always like that?"

"Yup, he'd rather have me mad at him or hurtin him instead of me being hurt."

"You two are a lot alike then."

Hoss smiled because the lady he loved thought of him as the hero type too. He packed the slickers under the seat before helping Cora into the wagon for the ride home.

Chapter 8

"How do you feel?" Adam was sitting by Elaine's bedside as she awakened. She hadn't even realized how tired she was. He had asked her earlier to close her eyes for a bit and relax. Four hours later, she awakened.

"I feel rested. I feel better than I have in days. Doctor Martin made me drink a lot of water, and now I need to do something about that. I think that's what woke me up."

After helping her find the chamberpot, Adam stepped from the room to give her privacy and to tell Paul that she was awake. Paul suggested he take her to dinner and then to the hotel for the night. Adam liked the sound of that. They hadn't done that in a while, and he missed their romantic nights in town. First though, they headed to the mercantile to get things they needed. Adam already had clean clothing, but needed a shaving kit. Elaine needed some clothing and some other things as well. Adam saw a pretty tortoise shell brush and comb set, and when Elaine wasn't looking, he pointed to it and had it added to their order. With everything packed into a brown paper package, they headed to the hotel to reserve a room. It wasn't unusual for them to do that so the desk clerk thought nothing of it except that Adam was carrying a brown paper package instead of a small valise.

"Would you like to go to the restaurant or eat here?" Adam was unwrapping the bundle of items they had brought to the room.

"I think a dinner here would be lovely. I want to relax, and we could spend more time together by skipping the restaurant."

"We would be together at the restaurant."

"You are such a tease. You know what I mean. Together: literally. Now order that dinner. I'm starved."

"Yes, my lady, your wish is my command."

"Always?"

"Well for tonight, and probably for a lot of nights and days while you carry our babies. You have three to care for now, so I'll do what I can to lighten your burden."

"Adam, it isn't a burden. I have to admit I was scared there for a bit, but now, I feel like I'm walking on air. Not only will I give you a baby, I'll give you two. Do you want boys or girls?"

"Either or both. I'll be happy to have either, but sometimes twins are one of each. I love Jon, and another son would be wonderful, but it would be very sweet to have a daughter."

"You miss Peggy, don't you, even if that was years ago?"

"Yes, she felt like my daughter, and then when things fell apart with Laura, I lost Peggy too."

"Fell apart is a very polite way of describing what happened."

"Will saved me from an unhappy marriage, and if Laura would do that to me, what kind of feelings did she have for me anyway? I've thought about it for years. I did love her but probably not enough. I have to wonder if she ever loved me, and if she did, how she could turn away from me so easily."

"She wasn't a very intelligent woman then. I could never turn away from you. Now how about ordering that dinner? I'm famished and starved for your attentions at the same time. If that food isn't here soon, dinner might be interrupted."

"Sweetheart, I never mind that kind of interruption."

Wasting no more of their precious time together, Adam went downstairs and ordered dinner as well as dessert to be delivered a couple of hours later. By the time he got back to the room, Elaine had shed her clothing and was bathing herself as well as she could with just a basin of cold water. Adam walked behind her and took the cloth from her hand.

"Sit. Let me do this for you. I promise I'll be gentle." He washed her back and then her arms before washing her legs and feet. Each area was gently cleansed with the soapy cloth before he used a clean wet cloth to wipe the soap residue away. Finally he gently dried each area before moving on to wash the next. When he finished, he held her robe and helped her tie the sash in front. As she stood before him, he let his hands gently explore the slowly growing baby bump. He had done this before with Barbara when she was carrying Jon. However then, he was still partly afraid that something awful could happen. He had learned that just because his mother had died, most women survived and even grew more beautiful and sensual as the pregnancy progressed. It seemed that was how it was going to be with Elaine. She already looked more voluptuous and definitely had an increased desire for sexual intimacy. He very much appreciated both of those developments. Because dinner would soon arrive, he did nothing more.

"You're not too disappointed, are you? If you sit back down, I'll brush out your hair for you too." Adam retrieved the brush and comb that Elaine had not yet seen and began brushing her hair as soon as she removed all the pins holding it in place.

"I could most certainly get used to this. That's so relaxing. Wait a minute. Where did you get a brush and comb? I didn't have one with me."

Adam handed her the comb as he finished brushing out her long wavy locks. "I bought them for you at the mercantile. It's a nice set you can use when we travel. They're pretty and much lighter than the silver set I bought you last Christmas."

"Oh, you didn't have to do this. One set was good enough for me."

"I wanted to do something special for you. Now shush and let me finish." Adam slowly brushed out her hair then until a knock on the door signaled that their dinner had arrived. Both were very hungry so dinner didn't last long. Elaine retired to the bed as soon as she could and waited for Adam. She didn't have to wait long. He joined her there, and they made love sensuously for over an hour. She was almost ready to suggest that she was ready to get some sleep when there was another knock on the door. Adam slipped from the bed and pulled his pants on. Elaine wondered what was happening until she smelled something that made her mouth water.

"They got a late shipment of peaches from California. They put them in a sauce to pour over some shortcake. I thought you and our babies might like it before sleeping tonight."

"You only got one?"

"It's supposed to be for two. Here, sit up a bit so I can feed it to you." Adam scooped up a generous spoonful and held it to her lips. She playfully opened wide and took it all in. She closed her eyes as the wonderful taste of the sweet peaches and the cake enveloped her senses. It tasted and smelled delicious. The dessert was gone very fast.

"Oh, I wonder if we can have some of that for breakfast."

"It's already ordered. Breakfast will be served early though, so we need to get some sleep now. I don't want you starting the day tired. If the weather is nice enough, we'll go home tomorrow."

"And if it isn't?"

"We have this room as long as we need it, but Jon will be missing us so I hope we don't have to stay in town too long."

Sunday began much as Saturday afternoon had been with intermittent showers, a cold wind, and occasional lightning and thunder. Adam kept Elaine at the hotel although they did venture into the dining room for lunch and for dinner. He wished he had gotten some books from the mercantile, but they did have editions of the San Francisco newspapers to read. On Monday morning, they did some shopping for fabric before Hoss arrived in town with the carriage to give them a ride home. Elaine was very curious as to how Cora's visit had gone.

"Well, I just took her home, and she was smiling. Her parents were smiling too so I guess it's all going real well."

"Do you mean to say she stayed for the whole weekend?" Elaine was very surprised by that but probably shouldn't have been.

"Yup, the weather was so bad by Saturday night that Pa said she had to stay. Then you know how bad it was all day yesterday, so I brought her home this morning. Her pa said he knew I would take good care of their daughter so they weren't too worried. She and Jon talked a lot. He was real surprised at your news, but Cora talked with him about it and talked about how her brother's wife is expecting twins too and how happy she is for them. That's why she wasn't so surprised at your news. She saw how Elaine was which was just like her sister-in-law so she had been wondering about that anyway."

"Hoss, she was a big help to me when Doctor Martin examined me. She helped me with my dress, and she held my hand the whole time until he said he wanted Adam to come in. She's a natural healer. The two of you are perfect together."

As they rode home in the carriage, they talked more. Hoss was deeply in love and falling more and more in love with Cora every day. "I just wish we could get married sooner. It seems a shame to wait when we both know we want to get married."

"I have an idea about that. I'll talk with Cora, and we'll see what we can do."

"What you gonna talk about?"

"Hoss, don't even think to get involved in women talk. Trust them. They'll make this happen if it's at all possible."

A week later, Hoss was overjoyed to tell his family that the wedding had been moved up. It would happen just after Christmas. Cora's family had some relatives who would be visiting then and her mother had decided that would be a good time for the wedding. As Hoss rode to church with Cora on that Sunday, he had to ask her how she had managed to change her mother's mind.

"On Friday, in town, Elaine and I talked. She asked me some questions and I told her my answers. She told me what questions to ask my mother. I did just what she said, and by last night, Mama and Papa told me they had changed their minds, and I could get married after Christmas."

"What did you ask her?"

"I said that when you kissed me or put your arm around me, you started to squirm and your voice would get all hoarse, and then you would want to take me home or go outside in the cold air. I asked her if that meant you didn't really like me. She said it meant you liked me a lot, perhaps too much, and she would be talking with Papa about it. Then they told me we should move up the wedding plans because you were older, and it wouldn't do to try to make you wait."

Hoss blushed a little about what Cora described. "Ah, did Elaine explain why I did those things?"

"Yes, and I understand. I feel a bit that way myself when you kiss me, but I never have to do anything because you always back away. Just think, Hoss, in a couple of months, we won't have to back away from each other."

"Darling, I am looking forward to that very much, oh so very much."

If they had been anywhere but on the way to church, Hoss would have pulled the carriage to a stop and kissed her, but his family was likely to be along on this road soon as were others. Adam wasn't the only one who craved some privacy. Hoss and Cora knew that it would be somewhat difficult to spend their first months of marriage in a house with so many other people but they had a new house to which to look forward and many years together. A couple of months didn't seem very long in that equation. At church, their engagement was announced so that no one would think something had pushed the marriage up if they suddenly wed just after Christmas.

There was another announcement at church, but that one was unanticipated. As soon as Jon saw Adam and Elaine approaching the church, he ran to them with a big smile. "Are you really going to give me some brothers? Uncle Hoss said you were going to have two. He called them twins. Is that their name or just what you call two?"

It all came out so fast that Adam didn't have time to tell him that the news wasn't supposed to be public yet. By the time he talked with Jon, the story was rapidly spreading through the people attending the service. Adam took a deep breath, expelled it, and looked at Elaine. "Well. We're going to have to talk about this a lot sooner than we expected."

Most women did their best to camouflage a pregnancy until it was obvious to all around them. Adam had not even known that Inger was expecting Hoss until he was born. No one had thought to explain the birds and the bees to him beforehand. Ben had a lot of explaining to do in a very short time when that happened. When Marie had Little Joe, Adam had suspected but wasn't sure until the last few weeks. That time, Hoss had been surprised. Adam had intended to follow the tradition of keeping it within the family except that he thought Jon should know and not be surprised. Instead, because of that, everyone would know soon. Elaine shrugged when he waited for her response.

"What's done is done. We've been married for nearly a year now, well for over ten months. It shouldn't be that shocking and no one will be able to say anything about what we did before we were married."

"We didn't do anything before we were married."

"I know, but you should hear how some of these women talk when someone has a baby nine months or so after a marriage. Well, it doesn't matter. That isn't us."

There were congratulations all around before the church service and after. The weather was still cool but without storms, so Adam and Elaine rode home with Ben and Joe. Hoss went to Cora's family home to celebrate their engagement. Ben couldn't contain his joy at the news he had received. He asked Adam how he felt about expecting twins.

"Pa, I feel like I'm on top of the mountain with the world at my feet."

"Those are the words Joe used to describe you too."  
"I know. He told me just that when he first saw me this morning, and I had to agree that was exactly how I felt. How do you feel about the family growing so quickly?"

"I feel like I'm on top of the mountain with the world at my feet." Both men laughed then in exuberance. At that moment, it didn't seem likely that anything could ruin their mood.

Chapter 9

"How are you feeling, my dear?" Ben was sitting at the breakfast table on Monday when Elaine came down the stairs.

"I'm feeling very good. The advice from Doctor Martin seems to be helping a lot. I've been drinking more just as he told me to do, and it makes me feel so much better even though I have to make a lot of trips to the necessary."

"Well, perhaps we can rig up something in the washroom to help you with that."

"I would appreciate anything you can do especially when it's cold and windy. I seem to be having more trouble staying warm."

"Did Doctor Martin have anything to say about that?"

"He thought I needed to eat more meat and probably just eat more in general. He thought I should be gaining weight." Elaine saw how Ben was looking at her. "I am, I am. I didn't know I was with child before, and now that I know that I'm with children, I will be sure to eat as well as I can. Now I know why Hop Sing always gave me those glasses of milk with my meals. He wanted me to eat better than I was. I was being vain, and it hurt my health."

"Where's Jon, by the way?"

"I saw his room and told him to straighten things up before he comes down for breakfast."

Adam and his brothers were in from doing chores before Jon got down to the table. They had to wipe up some puddles on the floor before Hop Sing let them sit down. It was storming and cold again. When Jon reached the table, he was in a surly mood. Adam watched him and waited. He knew by the look that there was some opinion he was itching to share, and it didn't take long. Ben opened that door.

"Jon, did you clean up your room well enough that it's open for inspection?"

"I don't know why I have to clean it up anyway. I'm getting a new room."

"Jon, that is no way to speak to your grandfather. You may be excused and go up to your room to wait for me."  
Once Jon was upstairs, Elaine turned to Adam. "You're not going to punish him, are you? He just got a lot of news that upset his world."

"I know. I expected some reaction from him. I won't punish him except to have him stay in his room this morning, but I do want to talk with him about the changes that are going to happen now. He needs some time to get used to the ideas, and I'll have him stay in his room to work that out. He tends to lash out at others when he's upset or confused." Adam looked over to see his father smirking just a bit. "I know, I know. It's poetic justice, isn't it?" With that, Adam excused himself and headed up the stairs as his brothers snickered and even Elaine had a small smile. In Jon's room, Adam found him sitting on his bed with tears already falling.

"Are you gonna spank me?"

"It's going to not gonna, and no, I'm not going to spank you unless you speak to me disrespectfully as you did to Grandpa."

"I only said what I was thinking."

"But you said it in a tone that was not respectful. Grandpa asked you a simple question. The proper answer would have been to say yes and sir or yes and Grandpa. You chose to be surly instead. Now, you will apologize to your Grandpa later today."

"What am I going to do now?"

"First, we're going to talk. I know you must have questions, and I'll do my best to answer them. Then you can read in your room or simply sit in your room until lunch at which time you will apologize and all will be back to normal."

"Thank you for not spanking me."

"You're welcome, and that was the proper thing to say too. Are you upset or worried because Mama and I are going to have twins?"

"No, not that, but everybody is talking about Uncle Hoss getting married and about you and Mama having babies, and nobody remembers any more that I'm here. Grandpa only talks about that stuff, and you and Mama only talk about having the babies and what you need for them."

"You are my son, and you will always be my firstborn son no matter who comes after you. You need to know that I love you very much."

"Will Mama love me?"

"Of course Mama loves you. Why would you worry about that?" Adam saw the lip quiver and the eyes turn down and suddenly knew. He had had that same worry about Inger. He had worried if she would still love him after she had a baby of her own. Jon was about that same age. "A long time ago, when your Uncle Hoss was born, I worried that Mama Inger wouldn't love me any more because she would have her own child. She had treated me so well that I forgot until then that she wasn't my first mother."

"What happened?"

"I found out that a mother's love gets bigger when she has babies. She had all that love for me, and when she had Hoss, she had even more love. She never took the love away that she had given to me because she got all new love for her new baby."

"Really?"

"Yes, now you love me, right?" Jon nodded vigorously. "And you love Mama, and Grandpa too?" Again there was the enthusiastic agreement by Jon to those queries. "You love Uncle Joe and Uncle Hoss too?" Jon grinned with that one. He adored his uncles. "Will you be able to love Cora when she marries Hoss?" Jon smiled and nodded. "So you can love all those people and then love another person who joins our family. Our hearts get bigger when we have more people to love. I think that you are going to love the twins when they arrive too and still love all those other people in the family. Right?"

"Right!"

"Now they will be babies and take a lot of our attention. We might have to ask you to help us with their care too. Do you think you're old enough to be a helper to us when the twins get here?"

"Yes, Papa, I'm six years old. I can be a big helper to you and Mama."

"Now, pick a book to read and have some quiet time in your room. You may come down in two hours. You will be expected to apologize to Grandpa and then to help Hop Sing with setting the table for lunch. I'm going to work now so don't give Mama any trouble. She needs to take it easy and relax until her body gets used to having two babies growing inside."

"Yes, Papa, and thank you for not spanking me. I'm sorry I wasn't nice in how I talked to Grandpa."

"Apology accepted." Adam wrapped his arms around his son and hugged him for a minute before taking his leave to get work done. He needed to go to town to order materials for the addition. With twins on the way, he wanted to get that addition done as quickly as he could. Somehow he was going to get a water closet in the house too. He had already realized he could not put it on the second floor. When he was considering how to add it to the first floor, Hoss had suggested the lower floor. It would be much easier to install a water tank for it as well as to carry away any waste. He was planning one part of it to replace the necessary, and the other half to be a bath. It would be two rooms so that both could be used at the same time. He wanted to install an extra large bathtub and planned to order two so he could put one in Hoss' new house too. There would be access from the back stairs as well as from the addition. He was enjoying the design challenge and the progress that he could incorporate into the house.

By lunchtime, Adam was back, Jon had done as requested, and Hop Sing was happy to find everyone at the table on time. He brought out food, and the family discussed the plans for the addition as well as Hoss/ wedding.

Over the next few months, those plans fell into place and by spring the addition was finished and work began on the new house for Hoss and Cora. By early May, Adam begged off the trail drive because Elaine was getting close to delivery. He didn't realize it was even closer than he thought. When she woke him one evening to tell him she thought it was time, he was groggy and talked before he thought.

"It can't be time. You're not supposed to deliver the babies for another month."

"Someone didn't give the babies calendars then because they're coming now."

Quickly pulling on pants and a shirt that he left unbuttoned, Adam woke Cora first to sit with Elaine and help her as needed, woke his father to tell him, and then woke Hop Sing before going to the bunkhouse to see who wanted a few extra dollars to ride for the doctor. Before Paul got there, Emily Elizabeth and Rachel Ingrid were born. Paul walked into the bedroom to find Adam holding one and Elaine holding the other. He did a quick check of each baby and of Elaine.

"Adam, you need to keep this room warm all the time now. Those babies are healthy but small. They could chill very quickly and that could be very bad for them. Hold them close to your chest to share your body heat with them and so they can feel your heartbeat. It will help soothe them. Elaine, has either one of them suckled yet?"

"No, I wasn't sure how to get them started."

So for the next hour, Paul worked with her and the babies until they seemed to be catching on. He told them it might take some time for the milk to flow freely and for the little girls to get the hang of suckling. Hop Sing was there to help too making sure that there was a warm bottle to supplement mother's milk until Elaine could produce more. Even then as the babies grew, she needed to supplement with bottles of warm milk. Within a month, they were growing rapidly and Paul pronounced them strong and healthy.

When Hoss moved into his new home, Ben brought one of his finest bottles of brandy to celebrate the occasion. The three men stood on the porch looking toward the main house. Joe downed his brandy and looked at the other three.

"Now you all look like you're on the top of the mountain with the world at your feet."

"That we are, Joseph, that we are."


End file.
